Pattern-plating attachment for circular-knitting machines



Sept. 20,1927. 61 E. R. AMMON PATTERN PLATING ATTACHMENT FOR CIRCULARKNITTING MACHINES Filed Oct. 50, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 p 1927' E. R.AMMON PATTERN PLATING ATTACHMENT FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES FiledOct. 50, 1924 2 Sheets- Sheet 2 flttozwup 517' Ward 2?. Anna/L mPatented Sept. 20, 1927.

UNITED STATES,

. 1,642,761 PATENT OFFICE.

nnwnnn n. AMMON, or READING, PENNSYLVANIA.

PATTERN-PLA TING ATTACHMENT FOR CIRCULAR-KNITTING MACHINES.

Application filed October 30, 1924. Serial No. 746,760.

My invention relates to circular knitting machines, and articularly tolating attachments therefor; my main ject bein to provide an improveddevice Which wil 6 automatically control the laying ofa plating yarn orits idle float in the production of novel pattern designs as governed bya special jacquard pattern drum mechanism; my improvements are adaptablefor producing any variable attern design of regular or irregularoutline, extending vertically, horizontally, or inclined to the wales,and in a simple and positive manner 'as more fully described inconnection with the accompanying drawings showing a preferred-embodimentthereof, while the novel features are particularly pointed out in thesubjoined clalms.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is mainly a side elevation of a known type of knitting machineembodying my improvements.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, parts being broken away to moreclearly show the essential construction.

Fi 3 is a fragmentary detail view showing t e jacquard drum andconnected opercurately adjusting such limited guide swing.

The guide 15 is swung into and out of yarn,

ating parts. 1

Fi 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view showlng in vertical section aportion of the knitting head and the cooperative relation of my platingyarn guide.

Fig. 5 indlcates a stocking having a pattern design producible with my'improve- 85 ments.

In the drawings I have indicated a Scott and Williams knitting machine,more fully set out in Patent No. 1,152,850 of Septemher 7, 1915, but-myimprovements are applicable to any knitting machlne having a rotatedneedle cylinder and a plurality of yarn ides; the machine illustratedbeing well fiown both as to construction and operation and needing butbrief description to make clear the application and operation of my imroved attachment thereto.

In the naming 5 represents the machine frame, 6 the rotated needlecylinder, 7 the cam r1ng, 8 the main drive shaft, and 9 the sector shaftforming an axle to carry the usual intermittently actuated cam drum 10Foosely mounted thereon. A plurality of yam guides 11 are commonlyemployed, pivotally swingable into and out of yarnfeeding position aseffected by a corresponding plurality of push rods 12, the movements ofthe latter being controlled as heretofore by cam drum '10. The operationof the machine is well known and where platmg is desired, two yarnguides are commonly lowered into feeding position, the needles operatingon.- both, and one yarn being laid so as 'toappear on the surface of thefabric hiding the knitted-in second yarn.

My improvements are applicable to any knitting machine having the abovecharacteristics and the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings willnow be described.

In place of one of the regular guides 11, I employ a special platingguide 15, preferably mounted in an extension 16 of' the regular guidebracket 17, and" intermediately pivoted at '18 in said extension, asshown, so that the lowered apertured yarn-carr ing end 19 will swingtransversely a ove the needle cylinder 6. The

swing of said guide 15 is limited as shown by contact of its upward end20 eitheragainst a fixed stop 25 of extension 16, or a spaced movablestop 26, said sto s being shown in the form of set screws or 210-feeding position in the usual manner, as determined by cam drum 10, by apush rod 12; a special push rod 30, also actuated b said drum 10,howeverfirst acting throug bell crank 'liever armi 31, pivoted at 32, to

swing stop 26, carried by the other arm 33 of said lever, away fromguide end 20, thus permitting movement of said guide by rod 12. Guide 15is under tension of spring 34 normally tending to hold same in loweredyarn feedin position above the needles, said spring iel ing howeverunder action of push ro 12, to ermit ide movement to non-feedingposition, an 'also yielding under action of rod 35 hereinafter morefully guide 15, pleasing varieties of pattern deguide movement betweendescribed, to pernnt limited guide move- 7 signs may be produced. Mymain object is .to positively and automatically control said movementsinproducing determined Zpattern effects, and to accomplish this I employthe following mechanism.

Secured to the machine frame 5, and projecting therefrom is an endbracket 40, mgidly supported by a leg 41, and preferably furtherstiffened, as shown, by an angular bracket extension :42 which in themachine shown, may be readily secured to the frame boss forming an endbearing for sector shaft 9. A similar bracket 45, supported on legs 46,is rigidly held in spaced relation to bracket by a connecting bar 47,and lts angular bracket extension 48 carries a rigid bar 49, theopposite end in the present construction, being readily held, within camdrum 10 in the opposite frame bearing for sector shaft 9.

Rotatab'ly mounted in said end brackets, are two shafts 50 and 51 eachhaving an end gear wheel marked respectively 52 and 53, and suitablyconnected as shown through a train of gears to main shaft 8; in theconstruction shown, such connection being readily made to gear 60 ofsaid Scott patent, and shaft 50 is timed to rotate one revolution foreach rotation of the needle cylinder.

Slidably keyed to shaft 50 as shown is my special jacquard pattern drum55 later 2 herein more fully described, and closely embracing the samein an open traversing frame comprising end members 65, 66 connected byrods 67, 68; said end members being centrally apertured and looselystrung upon shaft. 50, and the tie rods holding the end members in closecontact with said drum, but permitting free rotation of the latter.

End member is formed at one end with a threaded half-nut 70 adapted toengage a thread 71 cut on shaft 51, or a sleeve secured to the latter;and said nut is normally retained in such engagement bya weight 72, orthe like, hung on the opposite end of member 65. The rotation ofthreaded shaft 51 will, through the engagement of said half-nut 70 ofthe traversing frame, longitudinally progress said jacquard drum 55along its shaft 50 in one direction; and reverse drum movement is sim 1yeffected, as shown, by a weight 75 flexibly connected to end member 65.Weight 75 is effective only upon disen agement of nut 70, and the latter'is pre erably automatically dis engaged, as shown, by a cam 76 on drum10 which at the proper time is adapted to rock the traversing framesufficiently to disengage said nut 70from said threaded shaft 51. Ridingupon the drum 10 in the path of cam 76 is a tensioned lever 77 pivotallycarried by rock shaft 78, which latter is rotatably mounted at one endin a bracket 79 fixed to bar 49, and its opposite end, in

the construction shown, readily engaged in a recess formed in the end ofcomb stud 450 of said Scott patent; and said shaft 78 carries an arm 80positioned within the limits of longitudinal movement of the drum andadapted to bear upward on traversing frame rod 67 to rockingly free nut70 of the latter.

Mounted on connecting bar 47 are spaced blocks and 86 formed withbearings for a rock shaft 87, the latter carrying fixed levers 88 and89. Lever 88 is formed with a jacquard drum contacting end 90, andbracket 85 has a forked-end extension 91 engaging lever 88 to steadinglyhold the same and permit only movement in a plane radial to shaft 87.Lever 89 is yieldingly connected to the free end of rod 35 pivotallysecured to the end 20 of special yarn guide 15; such guiding connection,as shown, comprising springs 92 and 93 strung upon said rod and seatingon opposite faces of the apertured end of the latter throu 'h which saidrod loosely projects, adjustab e collars 95 and 96 providing forvariation-0f said spring tension.

The jacquard attern drum employed is preferably of a ength sufficient tocontrol all the plating movements throughout the length of a stocking,avoiding any repeat pattern when desired; each drum rotation,aspreviously stated, corresponds with aretation of the needle cylinder,while its longitudinal feed is such that the contact end of lever 88will engage a new circumferential path at each drum rotation. The drumsurface may be made up in any manner, but I prefer to employ sectionalcast plates, the surface thereof having rises and depressions foreffecting determined guide movements.

The operation of my attachment will be readily understood from theforegoing description, the action of the pattern drum 55 any variety ofpattern, irrespective of the' courses or wales of the fabric, andmoreover may be readily attached to the machine with but sli ht changesand at little, cost. And while. have described a specific embodimentthereof, changes may be made as for instance the drum-contacting fingermay be made to traverse longitudinally instead of the drum. Othermodifications and changes may also occur and I do. not desire to limit20 such longitudinal movements, an arm 110- myself to the and described;

What I claim is:-

1. In combination with a circular knitting machine having a circularseries of needles, knitting cams therefor, and a plurality of patterncontrolled yarn guides; a plating yarn guide movably mounted to swingradiall above said circle of needles, pattern specific constructionshown mechanism controlling the feeding and nonv feeding positionsthereof,- and a separate jacquard pattern drum mechanism, adapted toimpart radial pattern plating movements to said plating guide when thelatter is in yarn feeding position, comprising a drum, means to rotatethe latter, means to progressively move said rotated drum longitudinallyin one direction and freely in the reverse direction, pattern meanscontrolling tuated by said drum, and means connecting said arm andplating guide.

- 2. In combination with a circular lmitting machine having a circularseri s of needles, knitting cams therefor, and plurality ofpattern-controlled yarn guides; a plating yarn guide, a pivotal mountingtherefor adapted to swing said. guide radially across the needle circle,pattern mechanism adapted to control the feeding and non-feedingpositions-of said guide, a separate jacquard pattern drum'mechanismadapted to impart pattern plating swings to said guide when the latteris in yarn-feeding position, a fixed stop, and a cooperating stopmovable into and out of the path of said guide to limit saidpattern-plating swings.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

EDWARD R. AMMQN.

